A unique website dedicated to fishing information from Florida's Northern Big Bend. This includes the area from the Econfina River west to the Apalachicola River
Over the years I seem to burn up trolling motors every 3-4 years. I am talking about cheap transom mounted ones for small boats. A few years back a fellow used to post ads in Tallahassee Advertiser to buy dead trolling motors. Called him once and he said he makes some minor repairs, they are good as new, except dont have reverse speeds any more (who cares). He told me that all the manufacturers have some 'weak links in the wiring' that go bad and most of the motor is still in good shape.
Does anyone have any insight into this type of repair? I am not mechanically inclined. Maybe someone in town does this, or maybe someone knows of the guy I am talking about.
Yeah, I know you can send motors to the Minn Kota repair facility somewhere, but I am not interested in spending that much. I do my hunting and fishing on a shoestring budget.
Don't know who you're referring to, but I've always taken my TMs to Rick at R&R in Attapulgus. Fair price, quick and always fixed right.
That being said, I think my current one is about dead despite being repaired a couple time over the past 3 years. It ran sometimes on Saturday, but inherited the nickname Sputtering Stanley along the way. If anyone is interested in 24V footcontrolled Riptide let me know. I'm in the market for a new one.
In the end we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand. And we will understand only what we are taught.
you can try the tm center in tallahassee he handles minn kota warranties and does repairs there also .i think i might be having to getting another too its seems like its about dead.
They are pretty easy to trouble shoot. My Riptide SP stopped on me while on the water. Came home pulled the cover to the control unit which is in the base (head in a transom mount) and checked for loose wires etc. but saw noting and everything semed to be tight and corrosion free. There is a small control board about 2 1/2" square. 24 volts in and out, the control board handles the speed etc. I disconnected the power leads in and out of the control boad and connected them so I had 24 volts to the electric motor bypassing the controlboard... instant prop spin so know I know it is the board or a loose wire. Sprayed everything down with a little anticorrosion spray re-connected the leads and it worked perfectly. Apparently one of the power leads was loose or slightly corroded. The main point is if you get full power to the motor by bypassing the control board it is possibly a relatively easy fix. Other than long term use i.e. worn out or water instrusion into the motor it is likely loose connections or control board. My Minn Kota actually had screws on all covers so they can be opened up pretty easily.
